Man accused of hiding body in barrel has criminal past

Derrick Blaze Rodriguez robbed high school classmate, arrest affidavit states

SAN ANTONIO – A 20-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a man and then stuffing his body in a barrel was arrested for a violent crime over the summer, according to an arrest affidavit.

After a tip Friday evening, Bexar County sheriff's deputies forced their way into a residence in the 21300 block of Trumbo Friday night and were involved in an armed standoff with Derrick Blaze Rodriguez.

After noticing blood, a sweep of the property by deputies turned up a bullet-riddled body stuffed in a barrel.

In July, Rodriguez also allegedly robbed a high school classmate while hanging out at the victim's parents' house.

Alfred Alvarado said he remembered when Rodriguez committed a violent act in his South Side neighborhood. His 18-year-old neighbor, Michael Rodriguez, knocked on his door in his Dodic Place neighborhood for help.

"(He was) shaking and everything," Alvarado said.

Michael Rodriguez told Alvarado some high school classmates, who hanging out at his parent's home, had robbed him at gun point.

Arrest reports obtained by KSAT 12 show one of those classmates was Derrick Rodriguez, who told Michael he would kill him if he called police.

"(It’s) weird, you know, just knowing a young guy like that almost got killed by his friends," Alvarado said.

Despite getting hit, kicked and tied up by four men, Alvarado said Michael Rodriguez did not have any serious injuries.

That was a far cry from what happened to the victim this weekend.

"If you kill somebody, you know, you’re that crazy. Just leave them in there, no matter how much money he pays. Don't let him out no more," Alvarado said, "You can't trust nobody no more, just take care of yourself and just pray to God everybody will be OK."